LIVING on a student budget can be tough in a foreign country, but New Zealand has opened the door for international students to work and study.
Following changes to immigration student visa rules last December, it is now easier for international students – including Malaysians – to work while studying.
Being eligible to work can alleviate financial challenges particularly for post-graduate students supporting a family. For example, students enrolled in a PhD can work and study at the same time and their spouse or partner can apply for a full-time work visa for the same period as their student visa.
Masters by research students can also work and study at the same time, with no limit on the number of hours they’re allowed to work.
Meanwhile, many undergraduate international students can work part-time during the term for up to 20 hours a week, and full-time during semester vacations and course breaks.
Popular undergraduate student jobs include working in retail service, hospitality or as a tourist guide.
The most common requirement for student eligibility to work while studying is that their study programme is for at least two years.
Work experience is sometimes a requirement of a student’s academic programme. If so, international students can also check to see if they are able to get academic credit for the job they are working in. If they can get the credits, they may be able to work for more than 20 hours per week.
International students can work part-time if their full-time programme of study meets one of the following criteria:
l It leads to a New Zealand qualification that gains points under the Skilled Migrant Category; l It lasts for at least one full academic year; l It is at a private training establishment or tertiary institution, and the main purpose is to develop English language skills; l It is full-time English language study lasting for at least 14 consecutive weeks at a university or an education provider that holds Category One status under the New Zealand Qualification Authority’s External Evaluation Review quality assurance system.
It is also important to note that there are restrictions on the types of work that international students are allowed to do. International students are not allowed to be self-employed and must work as an employee with an employment agreement – not as an independent contractor.
Part-time work provides valuable work experience and the opportunity to network with potential colleagues and post-study employers, but balancing work with study takes discipline and excellent time management skills.
It is important for international students to maintain a balance between the number of hours they work and the study requirements so that they will still have the time and energy to achieve their academic goals.
Some skills are in short supply in New Zealand, and these are areas where the government has identified that employers need to recruit people from overseas to help meet demand.
New Zealand has skills shortages in healthcare, health technology, information technology, agriculture and forestry, construction, education, engineering, science, oil and gas, tourism and hospitality, as well as business and finance.
To find out more about working while studying in New Zealand, go to the Immigration New Zealand website at www.nzstudywork.immigration.govt.nz.
Information on study options in New Zealand can be found at www.studyinnewzealand.com.